Aretha McKinney/Courtbouillon
Jerika Edward and Spencer Jones will be Dillard’s top royals for 2022-23

 Aretha McKinney/Courtbouillon
Marissa Pittman, right, and Tyler Finley will lead the SGA next year as president and vice president, respectively

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story was corrected to list Keriana Rogers as Miss Sophomore winner. The Courtbouillon regrets the error.

NEW ORLEANS (April 7, 2022) – Two urban studies and public policy majors won the crowns of Miss and Mr. Dillard for 2022-23 in virtual elections March 30, according to the Center for Student Engagement and Leadership.

Jerika Edwards, an urban studies and public policy junior from Prichard, Alabama, is the Miss Dillard. Spencer Jones, an urban studies and public policy junior from West Memphis, Arkansas, is the new Mr. Dillard. Coronation will be held in the fall.

Meanwhile, the date for installation of Marissa Pittman and Tyler Finley as president and vice president, respectively, of the Student Government Association, and other officers has not been announced.

Pittman, a sophomore urban studies and public policy major from Memphis, Tennessee, is at least the third female to win the top student leadership position, succeeding Mattie Harris. She and Finley, a sophomore biology major who also is from Memphis, both were unopposed.

Also unopposed were Jaznine Clark, SGA secretary, and Daliyah Dixon, parliamentarian.

In the race for Miss Dillard, Edwards defeated Trinity Alexander, Ucari Morris and Kayln Turner by receiving 58% of the votes. Jones defeated Jared Ingram with 51%.         

Royal court candidates were ranked in three categories: student votes (50%), individual interviews (20%) and a showcase (30%). All three scores were averaged for a final score. The highest scored candidates were crowned Miss and Mr. Dillard.

According to official results, Edwards received 58.4% of the student votes, a score of 24 on her interview and a score of 107 on her showcase, totaling 66.3.

Alexander received 9.9% of votes, an interview score of 17.3 and a showcase score of 98 on her showcase, totaling 37.9. Morris received 19.2% of the votes, an interview score of 18.6 and a showcase score of 107, totaling 43.2. Turner received 12.3% of the votes, an interview score of 13.3 and a showcase score of 107, totaling 40.9.

For Mr. Dillard, Jones received 51.2% of votes and scores of 28 and 111, totaling 64.6.  Ingram received 48.7% of the votes and scores of 27 and 105.

Royal court

Other members of the royal court include:

– Miss Sophomore: Keriana Rogers, who bested candidates Julaya Blackmon, Kennedy Carter and Taylar Tunstall.

– Mister Sophomore: Nigel Giles, defeating DeAndrew Thomas.

– Miss Junior: Trinity James, who beat Judeline Joseph and Kennedy McCaskey.

– Mister Junior: Datjuan Harris, unopposed.

– Mister Senior: Jaren Barnes, who beat out Dillion White.

– Miss Senior: Brea Porter, winning over Ashlynn Barnes.

New sophomore class senators include Tyronae Smith and Madisyn Hicks. For the senior class, Lyric McKay and Elijah Tulloch are the new senators. They, too, were unopposed.

Eligibility was contingent upon a student’s good academic and judicial standing, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for SGA executive officers, Mister and Miss Dillard (or 2.75 for the royal court and other SGA offices) and attending information sessions and workshops.